My Schools

As I said at the beginning, I work at two different schools- Janggi and Uirang Elementary.  They are both about 20 minutes outside of town but my classes at Uirang are about 1/4 of the size that they are in Janggi.  Uirang is pretty rural, with only 50 students in the entire school.  I like having the small classes because it helps me get to know them better.  There is a wide range of English skill levels depending on grade and student.  

The banner at Janggi of all the 4th and 5th grade students 

My 4th grade class seems like they were sleeping the last two years that they were in English class because they barely understand the materials that I show to my Kindergartners.  I think this is because the Art teacher teaches them English when I’m not, which doesn't seem like it is helping.  I struggled with them at the beginning of the semester because they didn't seem to understand anything and really were not interested in learning- then I discovered their weakness: stickers.  If there are stickers involved, they will do anything to get one.  They also love games, which almost all of my students do except for the 1st graders- surprisingly, they act like they are too good for games or something.  They don’t even seem to care for videos!!  What kind of child doesn’t like to watch TV!!

My 4th grade class busy working on their English lesson

Both of my schools are set up the same composition wise.  There are two floors, rooms on only one side of the building and the hallway on the other.  Janggi, my primary school (as in the one I go to 3 days a week), has an attached gym, English hall, and a second building for Kindergarten and extra classes for science, health, etc.  Uirang, only has two floors- and no gym, just a very small auditorium.  In Janggi, my desk occupies the English library aka the “English Experience Room.”  It's very nice, I have my own classroom that no one really comes to unless they need something from me....or if they are playing hide and seek with some friends and need a place to hideout (which is about everyday).  

My desk and seating area for the English library

The curriculum is the same at each school, they have books depending on their grade.  The teacher uses those along with CDs and an English notebook for writing.  All subjects have these materials- so the students have science books, Korean books, Math books- and they all look the same!  I can only imagine how heavy their backpacks must be when they leave. 

There is a Korean teacher that uses all the materials to teach English and I just make up my own curriculum.   It has been hard getting used to it but over time I have adapted well, I think.  From co-teaching with the English teacher and some other teachers, as well as what I do in my class, I have noticed that the way students learn is extremely different from America.  In Korea, elementary learning is all based off of memorization.  They are given books to use, follow along with, and do the same activities in each lesson.  They are to memorize sentences and use those within the entire lesson.  This means that in English class, they do not necessarily understand what they are saying when they say it, they just know that is what the lesson is about.  Also, if I switch up the sentence when speaking to them, they have no idea what I am saying.

Beautiful flowers they had lining the entire school- they smelled so sweet

This concept just tends to get frustrating because their comprehension level is low even though they have had years of lessons.  This way of learning is enforced by the government so it cannot be changed.  I guess it is my job to do things with them that involve speaking and comprehension outside of the textbook.